Data collected by Research America, Report prepared by AARP and The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Data collected by Research America, Report prepared by AARP and The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
Executive Summary
The AARP and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies conducted a survey in South Carolina among 700 African-American likely voters in April of 2007. The purpose of the survey was to understand the concerns African-Americans in South Carolina want to see addressed by candidates for the respective Democratic and Republican political party nominations. Findings from the survey include…
African-American voters in South Carolina are already highly engaged in the 2008 Presidential campaign. Eighty-five percent are either very or somewhat closely following coverage even though the South Carolina primary is almost one year away.
There is a broad agreement that Washington politics is broken. Seventy-one percent feel the country is more politically divided today and 77% consider the political process in Washington to be seriously broken.
African-Americans are deeply concerned about the future. Sixty-nine percent of African-American likely voters in South Carolina feel things in the United States are headed in the wrong direction. Six in ten (61%) feel very or somewhat negative about the financial security of the next generation of Americans.
African-American voters expect Presidential candidates to act on health and lifetime financial security issues. Nearly all think candidates for President should commit to action on affordable health care (97%), retirement security (96%), and family financial security (95%). Additionally, over 8 in 10 consider the issues of affordable health care (85%), strengthening Social Security (82%), and the cost of prescription drugs (81%) to be important considerations in their choice of a presidential candidate.
Iraq, the economy and jobs, and health care are top-of-mind concerns for African-American voters. When asked to name the three most important issues facing the country, the war in Iraq (56%), economy/jobs (40%), and health care (28%) were most often mentioned.
Health care costs are a problem for insured African-Americans. While 81% of South Carolina African-Americans have employer provided, government sponsored, or individually purchased health insurance, almost half (45%) say it is very or somewhat difficult to pay their health insurance premiums.
Health disparities must be addressed in candidates’ reform proposals. Over 4 in 10 (46%) African-American likely voters in South Carolina think there are large disparities in health care access and quality between whites and African-Americans. Only fifty-four percent consider the health system to be excellent or good, while 46% think it is only average, poor, or failing.
Maintaining a strong Social Security system is important to African-American retirement security. One-third (33%) of African-American likely voters in South Carolina will rely on Social Security as their major source of income in retirement. Fewer expect to rely mainly on an employer-sponsored pension plan (19%) and more expect to rely mostly on their own retirement savings (43%).
A Survey of African-American Likely Voters in South Carolina [Click Here]
African- Americans Voters in South Carolina are dissatisfied with politics as usual and want presidential candidates to address the war, health care, and economic issues.[Click Here]